D&I explained
D&I is defined as a company’s mission, practices and strategy with the scope to achieve a competitive business advantage.
If diversity can be considered as the mix, then inclusion and equity are the mainsprings to make the mix work.
- Diversity is the presence of difference within a given setting. Workplace diversity is understanding, accepting, and valuing differences between people of different races, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, disabilities, sexual orientations, different education, personalities, skill sets, experiences etc.
- Inclusion is an approach including strategies to support leaders manage a diverse workforce and embeds a social integration mindset into the organizational culture.
- Equity comes to ensure that everyone access the same opportunities, always recognizing that advantages and barriers exist, and subsequently we all don’t all start from the same place.
The triptych inclusion, diversity, equity.
4 clues that D&I in shipping is weak
- Seagoing workforce is male-dominated:
- women make up just 2% of the global shipping workforce
- less than 1% occupy leadership roles.
- Huge gender pay gap exists
- There is lack of maritime HR specialists
- There is still perception of and bias against anyone who is different
Why D&I matters
According to Forbes Insights of more than 300 senior executives – 32% who were in HR or talent management – found their companies’ diversity and inclusion priorities include:
- recruitment of diverse employees (65%)
- retention of diverse talent (44%)
- ensuring diversity in the workplace (35%)
- developing a robust pipeline of diverse talent (29%)
- managing cross-generational issues (28%)
D&I has a variety of advantages to offer in shipping industry, some of them are:
- D&I is a pattern that businesses hoping for a long future
- D&I can result a competitive business advantage
- D&I offers fair treatment and organizational flexibility
- D&I can help hire the best people fit in the wide variety of career opportunities, both at sea and on land
- D&I offers new opportunities for women, ethnic minorities etc.
- D&I makes business sense
- D&I enhances innovation
- D&I enhances personnel satisfaction and overall organizational performance
Interestingly, cruise lines are being more active in terms of D&I and suggests they are expected to be forerunners in diversity and inclusion.
Also, Did you know?
- Women are 50% of the world’s population
- In the last 10 years, the global gender gap has closed by only 4%
- Rwanda is the first country in the world to have a parliament where women are in the majority
- Japan has closed its gender gap by 6,2% and is set to increase the share of women in leadership positions to at least 30% by 2020
- Since 2014 over 80% of companies in Mexico have implemented work-life balance programs
- More than 60%of Mexican companies are introducing flexible working hours
- Google has extended its family leave policy from 3 to 5 months, as well as actively encouraging female employees to seek promotions
